Guided tours of the ground floor of historic Skylands Manor at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden will be available on Sunday, June 3, 2012 and July 8, 2012 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Sponsored by the NJBG/Skylands Association, the non-profit member support organization working with the State to preserve the gardens, the 45-minute guided tours of Skylands history and architecture are conducted by NJBG volunteer tour guides, or docents.

Skylands Manor, a Tudor Revival mansion, was constructed in the early 20th century for Clarence McKenzie Lewis by renowned architect John Russell Pope. Pope also designed many outstanding private buildings, including the Jefferson Memorial and National Gallery of Art, both in Washington, D.C. Among Skylands Manor's many attractions are a remarkable collection of antique stained glass medallions set in leaded windows, including pieces from 16th century German, Bavarian and Swiss sites. The lanterns, electrical fixtures, lamps, spiral staircase rail and gate were fashioned by Samuel Yellin, who led the American revival of the use of iron as decorative art.

The suggested donations for Manor House tours are: $7 for adults; $5 for seniors and students aged 13-18; $3 for children aged 6-12; and free for children under age 6.

Since 1976, The NJBG/Skylands Association, an incorporated, member-supported non-profit organization of volunteers, has worked with the State to preserve and protect NJBG/Skylands and its historic structures.

The New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands, which appears on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places, is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm every day of the year. Admission to the Garden is always free. Summer parking is free on weekdays, and $5 per car on summer weekends and holidays (Memorial Day thru Labor Day, inclusive).

NJBG/Skylands is located off Morris Road in Ringwood, New Jersey. For an event schedule, membership brochure, directions or more information, call 973-962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org.